JPH0438437Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to an information input device for electrical and electronic equipment, and in particular to a panel keyboard that has wide applicability as an operation input switch means for various equipment. The present invention relates to a spacer structure for a panel keyboard configured to allow easy switch operations.

Along with the rapid development of active elements for information processing, mainly based on basic electronic materials such as I.C., L.S.I., one-chip computers, and microcomputers, the widespread electronicization of electric and electronic equipment has simultaneously progressed. This encouraged the systematic emergence of various information input devices that were optimal for the uses of these devices. In this process, there are demands for such input means to be smaller, lighter, or thinner in relation to the pursuit of high reliability, ease of use, and freedom of design in terms of instrumentation and design. This has become a major issue to be solved, as is cost reduction. From this point of view,
As shown in FIG. 1, there is provided a flexible or hard base material 2 having a plurality of required fixed contact patterns 1, and each fixed contact pattern 1 provided on the base material 2.
an insulating spacer 4 disposed so as to form a switch operation gap 3 in conjunction with the spacer 4;
a switch sheet 6 having a plurality of movable contact patterns 5 disposed thereon and performing switching operations individually in correspondence with each of the fixed contact patterns 1; and a bonding layer 7 made of an adhesive between these constituent members. A diaphragm type keyboard switch, that is, a panel keyboard, which can basically be constructed from the above, has attracted attention as a form that can effectively meet the above-mentioned demands, and is currently being put into practical use under various proposals.

Therefore, due to the nature of the panel keyboard, especially when configuring the switch sheet 6, sufficient consideration should be given to its electrical, mechanical, and physical and chemical characteristics, including the field or environment in which it will be used. For example, it has become possible to select suitable plastic film materials such as polyester film, which is advantageous from a cost standpoint and is sufficiently durable for practical use. The problems that arise in relation to 3 are complex. That is, in order to have wide applicability for general industrial and consumer use, it is preferable to keep each of the switch operating gaps 3 in a sealed state from the viewpoint of preventing deterioration of the contact patterns 1 and 5 of the switches. Due to the sealed structure, air or other gases trapped in this gap 3 simply have no place to escape when the switch is operated, and in some cases, it may cause a serious hindrance to operability, such as making reliable switch operation impossible. give. Furthermore, even if the switch operation were to be performed, there is a risk that the chattering or bouncing, which is a common problem with this type of switch, would be further exacerbated. This problem becomes even more important in the case of a switch operation gap 11 in a switch seat 10 having a dome portion 9 that can be clicked or snapped, which is another type of panel keyboard as shown in FIG. It's getting old. In Figure 2, 8 is the dome part 9
The movable contact pattern is shown when it is provided on the bottom surface of the .

An object of the present invention is to provide a panel keyboard with a novel structure that satisfactorily solves the above problems. The spacer structure of the panel keyboard according to the present invention is characterized in that a large number of dot-like or island-like protrusions are formed on either the base material or the flexible insulating switch sheet, excluding the switch operation area, by means of printing an insulating resin member. It is constructed by integrally forming a plurality of raised bodies, and the switch operation gaps are configured to communicate with each other through the gaps between the plurality of raised bodies. It is extremely advantageous in production to form such raised bodies by printing a suitable insulating resin coating on the base material or switch sheet and then drying and curing the coating. The raised body, which essentially functions as a spacer, is therefore interposed between the base material and the switch sheet to arbitrarily communicate the switch operation gaps with each other, thereby facilitating free flow of gas within the gaps. This makes it possible to ensure that the switch is securely operated, thereby significantly improving switch operability.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the illustrated embodiment. FIGS. 3 to 5 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a flat type panel keyboard, and in the case of this embodiment, A large number of key-shaped raised bodies 12 surrounding the periphery of the pattern 1 and a sealing raised body 13 are provided on the outer periphery of the base material 1 on the base material 2 on which the required fixed contact pattern 1 is formed. An example is shown in which a coating agent made of an appropriate insulating resin is applied to a required thickness by a method such as screen printing, and then dried and hardened. Since the flexible insulating switch sheet 6 and the base material 2 are arranged facing each other with a distance corresponding to their thickness, the necessary switch operation gap 14 is formed between both contact patterns 1 and 5, and at the same time A large number of gaps 15 formed between the raised bodies 12 constitute gas flow passages that freely communicate the respective switch operation gaps 14. In this case, the sealing protrusion 13 is located on the outer periphery of the base material 2 and the switch sheet 6, and functions to seal the panel keyboard. It is clear that such raised bodies 12 and 13 are not limited to the method of forming them on the base material 2 as described above, but can also be provided on the switch sheet 6 by similar means. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the base material 2 and the switch sheet 6 may be constructed as an integral member made of a flexible sheet, and the above-mentioned raised bodies 12 and 13 may be formed on at least one side thereof. It is possible. In any case, in the case of such a spacer structure, there is no need to use a separate spacer for both sheets 2 and 6 as in the past, and the alignment work when assembling such parts is significantly reduced. It also has advantages such as: Most importantly, the raised body 12 may be constructed with a plurality of dot-like, island-like, or circular raised bodies 16 as shown in FIG. As for the shape of the raised body, an arbitrary optimum shape is adopted depending on the number of contact patterns 1 or 5, their shape, etc. Although not shown, depending on the shape of both contact patterns 1 or 5 and the arrangement of their wiring patterns, the raised bodies 12 or 16 may be formed only on either the base material 2 or the switch sheet 6. In addition to the means, it is also possible to change the spacer structure of the present invention by appropriately forming both the sheets 2 and 6.

It is clear that a spacer structure can be provided in the same manner as described above for a panel keyboard incorporating a switch sheet 10 having a dome portion 9 that provides tactility as shown in FIG. be.

As mentioned above, according to the present invention, by integrally forming the protruding body using insulating resin printing means having a large number of protrusions on at least one of the base material and the flexible insulating switch sheet, By constructing a spacer structure that forms a large number of free gas flow paths between the base material and the switch sheet, the gas between the switch operation gaps is maintained in a state where it can freely move, significantly improving switch operability. I will do it. Furthermore, such a spacer structure can be formed integrally with either the base material or the switch sheet without being affected by the layout of the routing wiring pattern for each contact pattern. This not only contributes to reducing the number of parts, but also facilitates assembly. Furthermore, the large number of raised bodies that make up the spacer structure also function to absorb the internal stress of the keyboard by forming arbitrary spaces between them, making it possible to easily reduce the thickness of the panel keyboard. It has excellent features such as

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are conceptually partially enlarged cross-sectional configuration diagrams of a panel keyboard with a conventional structure, and FIG. 3 is an example of a spacer structure on a base material constructed according to the present invention. Partial plan view by
Fig. 4 is a conceptual partially enlarged sectional view of a panel keyboard constructed using the base material shown in Fig. 3;
Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a panel keyboard according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 is a partial plan view of the base material showing another example of the raised body of the spacer structure, and Figure 7 is a further embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a panel keyboard according to an example. 1...Fixed contact pattern, 2...Base material, 5
...Movable contact pattern, 6...Switch sheet,
12... Raised body, 14... Switch operation gap, 1
5...Gap, 16...Protuberance.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] It is equipped with a base material on which a required number of fixed contact patterns are formed, and a flexible insulating switch sheet on which movable contact patterns are formed at positions corresponding to each of the fixed contact patterns. In a keyboard switch with a sealed structure, the base material and the insulating switch sheet are arranged facing each other with a switch operation gap formed by an insulating spacer so that both contact patterns face each other,
The spacer is configured by integrally forming a large number of protrusions on at least one of the base material and the insulating switch sheet in a region excluding the switch operation gap using an insulating resin printing means, and A spacer structure for a panel keyboard, characterized in that the spacer structure is configured to provide a large number of free gas flow passages between the base material and the insulating switch sheet.